I found a local shop that does cnc cutting, but they need me to do a cad drawing of the panel. I wish to do something like this, from 2mm alu sheet: http://img233.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20406364ds7.jpg What CAD program is easier to use, for the job i need? Any CAD program is compatible to a CNC machine? Thank you in advance.
can you just make a dimensioned drawing for them, rather then in a cad format? Even with something not meant for drafting, you could still make a decent drawing.
Sketchup can export to CAD but it doesnt handle curves very well.. For all my CAD work like fan grills and rad grills I just use Illustrator along with its snap function.
What kind of file formats can they import? Vector-based drawing programs and even Photoshop's 'work paths' can be exported to .EPS I would be interested in a fully-functional autocad freeware too. Those kind of things are becoming so rare anymore.
Sketchup is pure crap when it comes to this. Use either Autocad or my personal favorite, Rhinoceros 3D (There are others of course). You should save the file as a DXF. I'm pretty sure they'll prepare the file in a PC based CNC control application before they send it to the machine itself. Or if you'd like you could probably make a sketch on paper with all the required measurements. Just make sure you get all the measurements in mm
Autodesk AutoCAD would most likely be the best/easyest You could always draft it youself using a drafting board, paper, pencil and a T-square and have someone at the shop draw it in they're CNC machine
arhemidies (sp?) and cadSTD are my two favourite free or freeish cad programs, For just something like that you can use an online image to vector program and that should be enough for most cnc machines, even from their importing a vector into a cad cam program is rather trivial.
